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What knee injury? Aaron Murray will 'let it rip' at pro day

Jon Gruden wasn't sure how far to push Aaron Murray since the Georgia quarterback was less than five months removed from left anterior cruciate ligament surgery. Throwing to former New York Jets receiver

Jon Gruden wasn't sure how far to push Aaron Murray since the Georgia quarterback was less than five months removed from left anterior cruciate ligament surgery.

Throwing to former New York Jets receiver Santonio Holmes against several NFL cornerbacks, Murray answered some big questions last week.

Now he'll have to answer many of those same questions again for NFL evaluators at his pro day Wednesday.

"I just can't tell you how amazing it is — his knee is almost completely healed," Gruden told USA TODAY Sports on Tuesday. "He's going to be ready to go for training camp. I don't think there's any question."

Murray was working with Gruden at ESPN's Wide World of Sports training complex in Orlando, Fla. for the network's QB Camp series.

"I didn't want to stress him that much because I realized he just had surgery," Gruden said. "So I said, 'What can't you do?' He said, 'I'm full go. Let's let it rip.' He put a brace on. We threw him on the move, threw some awkward deliveries. I couldn't have been more impressed."

What does Murray hope to prove Wednesday?

"I want to shock everyone, show I'm healthy and ready to go for training camp right now,'' Murray told USA TODAY Sports. "With all my drops, rolling out right, left I want to demonstrate teams don't have to worry about any lingering injury issues."

Murray met with the Kansas City Chiefs on Tuesday night and will interview with the Miami Dolphins on Wednesday.

Next week, he has a private workout for the Cleveland Browns, who hold the fourth and 26th selections in the first round.

Murray is working with quarterback guru Terry Shea, who will orchestrate his pro day.

During a stint in Arizona in March when Shea was helping Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III recalibrate his footwork, Murray received RG3's advice.

"He told me to trust the knee, the rehab, my strength, just plant and go, let it rip,'" Murray said. "I watched how he worked, his mechanics, how he worked the pocket, his accuracy, everything looked awesome."

With his pinpoint accuracy, the 6-1, 207 pound Murray draws comparisons to a Super Bowl-winning quarterback who overcame fringe height for an NFL signal caller.

"He's very much like Drew Brees," Shea said. "He's got that fire when it comes to his leadership with a very special arm."

So when will Murray be drafted?

"I'd be surprised if he doesn't go in the third round. Maybe higher," Gruden said. "He's a coach on the field."

Murray showed remarkable toughness by remaining and throwing a touchdown against Kentucky on Nov. 23, after tearing his ACL.

Senior Bowl executive director and Alabama football radio analyst Phil Savage was impressed by Murray's play in Georgia's 32-28 loss in the 2012 SEC championship to the Crimson Tide.

Murray, who received a Senior Bowl invitation just before the injury, honored his commitment to make an appearance and to partake in interviews, even sitting in meetings with the Jaguars coaching staff.

"The concern is he's a touch undersized, doesn't have a huge arm and doesn't have great mobility," Savage said. "He goes in at minimum as a backup."

Murray's production, however, has been huge. He's the SEC all-time leading passer and owns the Georgia record with 121 career touchdowns.

"The team that drafts me is getting a quarterback who has played 52 games and had a lot of success in the toughest conference in college football," Murray said. "I pride myself on my work ethic."

PHOTOS: Comparing prospects to pros

1. Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina – Mario Williams. Before the 2006 NFL draft, Williams faced many of the questions now being asked of Clowney. Williams' production during his final college season dropped off and he didn't seem to have as big of an impact on the game. Yet, his physical skills were never in question, which led him to become the No. 1 overall pick. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

2. Greg Robinson, OT, Auburn – Trent Williams. Like Williams at Oklahoma, Robinson was bulldozing run blocker for a dynamic running back at Auburn. Whichever team drafts Robinson will hope he can turn into the pass blocker Williams has become in the NFL. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

3. Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M – Joe Thomas. An offensive lineman's technique is as important as his physical ability. Thomas isn't the most athletic lineman, but he's by far the most consistent with his technique. Matthews is the most technically sound prospect in this year's draft class. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

4. Anthony Barr, LB UCLA – Aldon Smith.
Barr will be drafted on potential, and, like Smith coming out of Missouri, the UCLA Bruin has the athletic ability and physical profile (without the character questions that have dogged Smith in the NFL) to be a dominant edge rusher in a 3-4 defense. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

5. Khalil Mack, LB, Buffalo – Clay Matthews. The strengths of Mack's game begin with his versatility and extend to a ferocious attitude on the field. Like Matthews, Mack can be moved all over a defense to take advantage of his natural abilities. Their combine numbers were eerily similar, too. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

6. Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson – Steve Smith. Watkins is a unique talent. There are not many receivers at 6-1 with return skills. Smith is four inches shorter than Watkins, but both can hurt a defense all over the field in a variety of ways and are excellent after the catch. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

7. Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M – Vincent Jackson. Very few wide receivers have the size and ability to stretch a defense like Evans and Jackson can. The two are nearly identical in size (6-5, 230). They are also very physical wide receivers that use their bodies well to shield defenders, and to leap for catches. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

8. Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma State – Patrick Peterson.
Gilbert has the size and speed to stick with opposing receivers in man coverage. Like Peterson, Gilbert’s body control allows him to make plays on the ball and create turnovers. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

9. Eric Ebron, TE, North Carolina – Jermichael Finley. In the ever-evolving NFL, tight ends are often oversized wide receivers that create mismatches against the linebackers and safeties. Ebron, like Finley, is a fluid route runner that can be lined up at multiple spots in an offense. Like Finley, he is not a strong blocker. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

10. Zack Martin, OT, Notre Dame – Logan Mankins. Martin will be drafted as a tackle, but his best fit in the NFL is at guard. Like Mankins, Martin will be a monster as a pulling guard leading runners through the hole in a power run system. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

11. Aaron Donald, DT, Pitt – Geno Atkins.
Very few defensive tackles can match the Donald’s production at the college level. At 6-0 and 285 pounds, Donald registered an astonishing 28.5 tackles for loss and 11 sacks. Like Donald, Atkins isn't the biggest defensive tackle, but he wins with quickness, strength and leverage. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

12. Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan State – Brandon Flowers. Dennard is a good cover corner who shouldn’t need much help over the top from a safety. Like Flowers with the Chiefs, Dennard will thrive in a system that allows him to play press man coverage. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

13. Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan – Nate Solder. Lewan is highly athletic and impressed many with his workout at the combine. Lewan may not be a former tight end like Solder, but both are gangly linemen at nearly 6-8 with the type of length needed in a left tackle. Solder needed to work on his technique to become effective, just as Lewan will. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

14. Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville – Matt Ryan. Bridgewater is a smart, accurate thrower who lacks some of the ideal physical tools teams look for in a franchise QB. Like Ryan, Bridgewater gets by with smart movement in the pocket and great field vision. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

15. C.J. Mosley, LB, Alabama – Daryl Washington. Both Mosley and Washington are 3-4 inside linebackers who are highly instinctive, athletic and quite comfortable dropping into coverage. The concern with both is that they're only 230 pounds. It hasn't affected Washington's career, but teams will question how Mosley holds up at the next level. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

16. Louis Nix III, NT, Notre Dame – Dan Williams. Nix is a large man who will provide a 3-4 defense with an ideal nose tackle. Williams demands a double team, which is vital for a Cardinals defense that uses inside linebackers as blitzers up the middle. Nix should draw the same type of attention in the trenches. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

17. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, S Alabama – Eric Reid. Both Clinton-Dix and Reid are true free safeties with the ability to lock down the backend of a defense. Their final years on campus weren't as strong as their junior campaigns, but both were consistent throughout their careers playing against the run and pass. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

18. Timmy Jernigan, DT, Florida State - Jonathan Babineaux. Jernigan is an ideal fit as a three technique, attacking the gap between the guard and tackle. Like Babineaux for the Falcons, Jernigan should be a good player for a long time because of his explosion off the line, which makes him difficult to stop once he gets going. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

19. Kony Ealy, DE, Missouri – Michael Bennett. Missouri used Ealy in a similar fashion as the Seattle Seahawks do with Bennett. Both are defensive ends on run downs, but they are then moved to defensive tackle on passing downs. Both have quick first steps and very similar body types. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

20. Dee Ford, DE, Auburn – Chris Clemons
Like Clemons, Ford is a great pass rusher with the ability to play with his hand on the ground or standing up. Ford has a fairly well-developed arsenal of pass-rush moves but will have to prove he can be a three-down player at the next level. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

21. Blake Bortles, QB, UCF – Mark Sanchez.
While Sanchez, a former Top 5 pick, is generally considered a bust, the situations of these two quarterbacks are similar as they entered the league. Questions were raised about how ready they were. Neither was an advanced pocket passers in college. Both excelled when throwing on the move. And Bortles will likely be over-drafted due to his natural talents, just as Sanchez was. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

22. Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M – Doug Flutie. Like Flutie, Manziel is known for making plays out of nothing despite his small stature. Unlike Flutie, Johnny Football is entering the NFL at a time where size is not as big of an issue as it was when Flutie broke into the league. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

23. Calvin Pryor, S, Louisville – T.J. Ward.
While Pryor is better in coverage than he's generally given credit for, he excels in setting the tone against the run. He’s an intimidating force across the middle. Ward is similar. Both explode into tackles and are at their best when playing downhill with the ball in front of them. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

24. Odell Beckham, WR, LSU – Golden Tate
Beckham is an undersized receiver but makes up for his slight build with toughness. He’ll provide a team with difficult catches on third down and good return skills – much like Tate did for the Seahawks the last few seasons. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

25. Marqise Lee, WR, USC – DeAndre Hopkins. Hopkins is bigger – and had a stronger final year in college -- but is a very similar athlete to Lee. Both are very good running after the catch, but Lee must prove he can stay healthy and be productive consistently. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)